Cultural Heritage : Presentation of Cash Awards and Certificates of Honour

Union Minister for Hotels, Tourism and Culture U Maung Myint attended a ceremony at the Ministry on Tuesday to present cash awards and certificates of honour to citizens who handed over ancient artifacts to the state. In his speech, the Union Minister said preserving cultural heritage is essential to safeguarding Myanmar's history and praised the donors for prioritizing national heritage over personal financial gain. He added that the donated artifacts will be evaluated and preserved by experts and displayed in national museums, while urging the public to report any newly discovered antiquities to the relevant authorities. During the ceremony, the ministry accepted 1,173 artifacts from the Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Pyu Era, Konbaung Era, Wesali period and Mrauk-U period including gold and silver coins, stone rings, stone beads, bronze weights, bronze bell, copper alloy plates, and pottery. More than K100 million in cash rewards and certificates of appreciation were presented to the donors. According to the Ministry, the rewards are determined after expert evaluation based on an artifact's historical significance, rarity, condition and market value. Donors of qualifying artifacts may receive between 2.5 and 3.5 times the current market value, with higher rewards for rare and unique items.